CrossFit 25404 helping ‘shape’ area

January 1, 2013

MARTINSBURG - Curt Kimbrell and his wife, Chrissy, were in a fitness plateau after routinely hitting the same gym for the past six years. The traditional approach to staying in shape verged into the mundane until last January, when the duo discovered CrossFit. Since then, the couple has fallen head over heels for the regime and recently opened their own business - CrossFit 25404 - seeking to offer the resource to the community.

"The definition really of CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity," Curt Kimbrell said. "CrossFit makes you better at doing everyday things and the unexpected things that you might encounter."

The Kimbrells kicked off their CrossFit career by first learning techniques via YouTube videos. As they became more advanced, their piqued interest led them to a two-day training course that additionally offered certification. After seeing results, the Kimbrells plan to be lifelong CrossFit converts.

Article Photos

Journal photo by Holly ShokTen-year-old Paris Kimbrell takes time for her routine workout at CrossFit 25404, the new fitness venture her parents, Curt and Chrissy, recently opened.

"We won't go back to another fitness program. We'll always do CrossFit now," Curt Kimbrell said. "It really is the fitness of the future."

CrossFit 25404, located at 401 Albert St., opened Oct. 15. The Kimbrells are both certified L-1 Trainers, in addition to being CrossFit Kids-certified. Jennifer Arensberg also works in the gym, or what Chrissy terms "the box," as an L-1 Trainer.

"We don't say 'can't.' My daughter said 'can't' so she has to do five burpees," Chrissy Kimbrel said, gesturing to 10-year-old Paris, tirelessly charging her own body weight off of the ground.

"CrossFit embraces the functional movements we do all the time," she added. "That's why we don't have any machines. (CrossFit) believes no machines, we make machines."

Functional movements include squatting, rowing and sprinting during shorter workouts - 30 minutes for junior classes and up to an hour for adults - of quick-paced, non-stop motion.

"Once you start CrossFit, it's addicting," Chrissy Kimbrell said. "You wonder what the workout is going to be the next time you come in."

Junior classes, for ages 10 and up, are offered at 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

"CrossFit embraces the fact that children need to be happy to be here. It's not work," Chrissy Kimbrell said. "Everything needs to be fun for them."

"One of the really positive things about this is it's really our own community. It's not like your other typical workout places where everybody is kind of a stranger," Chrissy Kimbrell said. "You can see in here, everybody knows everybody. Everybody roots for the other person. And often the last person in is cheered just as loud as the first person to finish."

For the Kimbrells, the owners of the connecting Alliance Electric, a typical training schedule includes three days on and one day off.

"We love it and we've had incredible results with it and we wanted to pass it on to other people," Chrissy Kimbrell said. "(CrossFit offers) a fun way to get fit for all age groups - kids all the way up to elderly. Everyone needs to be able to move functionally."

The booming music reverberating from "the box" serves to create the high-energy atmosphere CrossFit commands.

"If we don't use it, we lose it," Chrissy Kimbrell said. "You look at so many people now that are deconditioned and they can't sit down or they can't bend over and pick something up. I don't want to be like that when I'm older."

The cost is $10 per class or $125 for unlimited monthly access - though, at CrossFit 25404, Chrissy Kimbrell said, the first class is always free. Those interested in experiencing CrossFit firsthand can also participate in a free class offered monthly at the Martinsburg Mall. The next one will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday.